Ali Shan Oolong阿里山烏龍
Gao Shan · Ali Shan, Chiayi County, Taiwan
Ali Shan Oolong is a Gao Shan oolong from Ali Shan, Chiayi County, Taiwan. Brew it at 90°C with 5g of leaf per 100ml of water; expect up to 8 short infusions in a small gaiwan or teapot. No rinse needed.
Quick facts
- Origin
- Ali Shan, Chiayi County, Taiwan
- Category
- Oolong
- Cultivar
- Qing Xin
- Oxidation
- light
- Roast
- none
- Water temp
- 90°C
- Leaf ratio
- 5g / 100ml
- Infusions
- up to 8
- Rinse
- No
Tasting notes
The mid-tier Taiwanese high-mountain you reach for when you want the style without the Li Shan price tag. Dry, the pellets look almost sealed shut; they need a patient first steep (30 seconds or so) before anything real happens. Then the cup opens: orchid on top, a buttery middle, and a honeyed finish that sits on the back of the tongue and reminds you it's there for a while. The trap with Ali Shan is over-leafing. These pellets roughly quadruple in size, and 6g in a 100ml gaiwan turns into a choked mess by steep three. Stay at 5g, drop steeps 2 and 3 to about 15 seconds once the leaf has unfurled, then climb back up. It peaks around the third or fourth pour and fades gracefully after six. Keep the water around 90°C — any hotter and the florals go flat.
Flavor profile
Smooth and buttery with pronounced floral sweetness. Orchid and honey notes carry through each steep, backed by a creamy body and a lingering sweet aftertaste. Less ethereal than higher-elevation gao shan but more accessible and consistently rewarding.
Terroir
High elevation (~1000–1600m), misty subtropical mountains, cool temperatures concentrate sugars and essential oils
Cultivar: Qing Xin
Brewing
- Steep 1: 30 seconds
- Steep 2: 20 seconds
- Steep 3: 20 seconds
- Steep 4: 25 seconds
- Steep 5: 30 seconds
- Steep 6: 35 seconds
- Steep 7: 40 seconds
- Steep 8: 50 seconds
Ball-rolled leaves need a longer first steep to begin opening. Drop time on steeps 2–3 once the leaf is unfurled, then gradually extend.
Aroma & taste
Aroma
- orchid
- honey
- butter
Taste
- floral sweetness
- buttery cream
- spring grass
- huigan
Processing
- withered
- semi-oxidized
- ball-rolled
Sources
- https://beautifultaiwantea.com/blogs/beautifultaiwantea/brewing-high-mountain-oolong-from-taiwan
- https://beautifultaiwantea.com/products/alishan-high-mountain-oolong-tea-taiwan
- https://pathofcha.com/products/ali-shan-milk-oolong-tea
- https://meileaf.com/resources/pdf/mei-leaf-tea-brewing-guide.pdf
- https://teadb.org/taiwanese-oolong-compendium/
- https://www.teacurious.com/tea-profile-alishan-high-mountain-oolong